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(No Model!) 0. & M. R. 'JEWELL,

RULER.

No. 443,652. Patented Dec. 80,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QEEicE.

CHARLES EDWIN JEW'ELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND MAJOR ROMEYN JEVELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEYV YORK.

RULEFi.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,652, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed April 30, 1890- Serial No. 350,074.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES EDWIN J EWELL, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and MAJOR RoMEYN J EWELL, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Rulers, of which the following is a specification.

The aim of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive ruler which may be employed without being moved on the paper when ruling a series of parallel equidistant lines, and which may be bent to conform to the curvature of the leaf or other sheet on which it is laid.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a ruler in its most simple form. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same on the line 2 2. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ruler in another form. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same on the line at 4:. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the ruler in a third form. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the same on the line 6 6.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ruler A consists of a thin pliable sheet of steel or equivalent pliable material, its opposite edges formed by two parallel bars a, between which there exists a slot 1), extending nearly the entire length of the ruler. The ruler may be punched in a single piece from sheet-steel or other material, or its parts may be made separately and rigidly united in the form shown.

The bars a a are of equal width and the slot 1) of a width slightly greater than the bars, so that if the ruler be held firmly in position and a pen or pencil drawn along the inner and outer edges of the two bars the re sult will be four parallel equidistant lines. The slot is made wider than the bars a, for the reason that the line formed by the pen or pencil stands at a slight distance from the ruling-edge, and if, therefore, the slot and the bars were of equal width the ruling would be of unequal width.

IVe propose to provide the longitudinal and transverse edges of the ruler with graduation's such as shown, or other graduations of any suitable character, which may be numbered or otherwise marked in accordance with the usual custom.

The ruler above described being pliable, so that it will conform to the curvature of the leaf or other curved surface on which it may be laid, is open to the objection that it lies flat upon the sheet, and that if used for ink ruling with a pen the ink is liable to be transferred to the edge of the ruler and thence to the paper. To overcome this difficulty we propose to cement or otherwise secure to either or both faces of the ruler a longitudinal strip or head 0, of rubber, gutta-percha, felt, or other pliable material, which, resting upon the paper, will sustain one edge of the ruler above the same, as represented in Fig. 4. \Vhen these strips are applied to opposite faces and opposite edges of the ruler, as shown in Fig. 4, the ruler may be used either side up. In this second form the ruler is slotted centrally in the same manner as in the first example. It possesses all the advantages of the first form, together with that of having one edge sustained in any position in which it may be used.

The ruler shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is slotted in the same manner as those in the preceding figure; but instead of being provided with a pliable strip or head 0 it is formed with the rigid tubular supporting-lip e, which is preferably formed by turning upward the metal cut from the center to produce the slot. The ruler in this last form is not flexible, the tubular rib serving to keep it in a straight and fiat condition.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. A ruler having the two longitudinal parallel bars a of equal width and the intermediate slot or opening of a width slightly greater than the bars, whereby the ruler is adapted for use without being moved for ruling four equidistant lines.

2. The ruler consisting of a body or plate and a rib or head extending longitudinally of the plate adjacent to one edge thereof, whereby when the ruler is in use one edge of the plate will be maintained above the paper, while the opposite edge will rest thereon.

8. The reversible ruler consisting of the slotted blade and of two ribs or strips proj ecting above its respective faces.

4. A ruler having parallel longitudinal bars of equal width, an intermediate slot of slightlygreater width than the bars, and a rounded bead or rib lying along the inner edge of one of said bars and projecting above the surface, whereby the ruler is adapted for use without being used for ruling four equidistant lines and three of its rulingedges may be maintained in an elevated position.

Signed by the said CHARLES E. J EWELL, at

Chicago, Illinois, this 19th day of April, 1890, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES EDlVIN JEiVELL.

ncsses.

MAJOR ROMEYN J'EWE'LL. \Vitnesses:

A. BUIDINGS. 'LIBBIE A. WEBER. 

